HOUSE of Representatives Secretary-General Mark Llandro Mendoza said that 70 to 80 percent of invitees to the first State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. have already confirmed their attendance.
“We sent out mga around 1,360 invitations, so we’re just waiting for the confirmation. Pero around 70 to 80 percent nagconfirm na,” SecGen Mendoza said.
He said former president and speaker now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and former president Joseph Estrada have confirmed their attendance, while former President Rodrigo Duterte and former vice president Leni Robredo have yet to send their replies.
He said Vice President Sara Duterte will be attending the big event. “I think sa morning pa lang, she will be here na,” he said.
Others who are expected to grace the SONA are members of the diplomatic corps and the country’s justices.
” Lahat ng governors were also invited,” he said. Meanwhile, he stressed that Malacanang has preferred a simple SONA.
“Ang gusto ng Malacanang, ng Pangulo ay maging simple at more on traditional (ang SONA). Walang glamor, basta simple lang,” he said.
Among the SONA performers is a choir group from Ilocos who will sing the national anthem, according to SecGen Mendoza.
As to the SONA rehearsals to be done by film director Paul Soriano, SecGen Mendoza said he is unsure if it will on Thursday or Friday. “Wala pang advice sa amin,” he said.
Malacañang tapped Soriano to direct President Marcos’ SONA.
